Murder of Israeli-Canadian in Egypt prompts investigation

Egyptian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the murder of a Canadian-Israeli man who was shot dead in Alexandria during a robbery on Tuesday. 

The victim, named Ziv Kipper, reportedly owned a fruit and vegetable export company. Egypt’s Interior Ministry said he was a permanent resident of Egypt. 

According to The New Arab, a group calling itself the “Liberation Vanguards” claimed responsibility for the murder on Telegram accusing Zipper of being an Israeli spy.  The veracity of the statement by the formerly unknown group could not be verified. Nevertheless, claims the murder was motivated by anti-Semitism quickly spread on social media.

Security sources told Reuters it had no information about the group and whether it was responsible for Kipper’s death. 

Kipper’s murder occurred on the same day Israeli forces seized the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. 

Israel advised its citizens to leave Egypt as quickly as possible after an Egyptian police officer killed two Israeli tourists and their Egyptian guide in Alexandria on October 8^th, a day after Hamas attacked Israel, prompting the war in Gaza.